When they got Ben to the NICU of our local hospital, they immediately hooked him up to an IV of sugar to try and elevate his blood glucose. They also tried to take blood, but noticed it was really thick. By the time it got to the lab it had already clotted. They decided not to worry about getting the tests done at the lab, since they didn't really think he had an infection, and he was already on the glucose drip. He stayed in the NICU the next day, with Josh or I going in to sit with him and feed him in between me trying to rest and recover. My mom brought D to the hospital so he could meet his brother. I know it was really hard for him to see the baby with all his wires and tubes, and having him leave again was horrible for both of us. I know he had a great time with my mom, but it was really rough to say goodbye that day. Ben was doing fairly well eating (they weighed him before and after every feed), but his blood sugar was remaining super low, so they increased his IV sugar to the highest level.
The next morning (Thurs) they decided that as long someone came to check his IV lines once an hour he could stay in my room. They also checked his jaundice level, and in combination with the other issues, they decided that he needed phototherapy. He got to stay in my room, but I could only hold him while he was eating, otherwise he had to be in his biliblanket coccoon. I really wish I had a picture of him as a little gloworm. He continued to eat, but was still not making any progress with his blood sugar, so the doctors were starting to talk about calling the neonatoligists up north. Thursday was a truly miserable day...Josh had to work all day, Dean and mom came for a very short time (thought they did bring flowers, which did brighten things up) and I was discharged, while my baby was still in the hospital.
They moved me (& and Ben when he was with me) to a parent room. The room had no windows, and was thus rather miserable. I also hadn't been outside (and not in labor) since Monday, so I was going a little stir-crazy. I also had to call the nursery nurses everytime Ben's IV alarm when off (which was often) so I felt like a complete pain (they were really wonderful about it though). That night Josh brought me dinner (I was SO sick of hospital food) and was there when the doctor came and talked to us. Ben's sugar was still really low, even with the high amount of IV sugar. It would go up occasionally when the checked it, and then the next time it would be back down in the 40s. I have never felt so disheartened in my life. We were to a point where the doctor had decided that if tomorrow there was no improvement he would call the neonatologists in the morning. We both felt a little better about having a plan.
Josh went home so Dean could sleep in his own bed again, and I stayed at the hospital with Ben. The night doctor decided that it would be good to know for sure how much Ben was eating each time, so I started to pump in addition to nursing. It was super awkward to try and nurse and give him a bottle while holding him on the bili-spatula, but he was eating pretty well.
Early Friday morning the doctor came in and told me that she had been in contact with the doctors up at Children's Hospital. She had seen that his RBC & platelet counts were really off, and that was probably all connected with his blood sugar issues. He got some IV antibiotics just in case there was an infection. But, if he were to need treatment for this, it would have to be up at Children's, so she decided to transfer him up there, just in case. She let me know that the transport team would be there in a couple of hours...I immediately called Josh so he could try to get off work. I felt completely overwhelmed, all alone in a windowless hospital room, my 3 day old baby hooked up to all sorts of IVs and monitors and lights. All I did was cry until the transport team got there
